Comments on: Seven Steps to Finding What You’re Truly Passionate About

By: Finding Your Passion

Finding Your Passion — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:35:25 +0000

Things that you like – keep doing. That’s a good tip.

I also think that if you can think back to the most intense NEGATIVE experiences, you can also find a clue to your passion there.

If you feel deeply enough about something to remember it as a deep hurt… then the opposite might be your passion! OR you might have hurt because it was an opportunity you missed out on. If you are still feeling it intensely years later, maybe you need to take another run at that passion!

Hope this helps.

By: Joyce

Joyce — Fri, 01 May 2009 13:42:23 +0000

This is a fantastic blog. I ran upon it from a link in an article off the MSN Main Page. I am now a subscriber to your blog! Thank you!

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:12:38 +0000

I think the family that raises bees is cool. What courage!! Although, I probably wouldn’t want to visit with them in their backyard. (I have a slight fear of getting stung.)

By: jana

jana — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:56:13 +0000

reminded me of a song called “Dream” (ot “Happy talk” on an older version) where the singer sings:
You got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream
How you come not have a dream come true?

By: Melody

Melody — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:10:35 +0000

I am so happy to read this. I think it’s helpful.
But now I still don’t know what my dream is . Can you tell me how to know my big dream?

By: mjukr

mjukr — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:31:40 +0000

Step One: Ditch the TV! So many people waste hours a day watching TV because it’s so easy to just “veg out” and be mildly entertained rather than doing anything productive. Get rid of your TV and soon you’ll be so bored that you’ll HAVE to try new things!

By: Know The Ledge

Know The Ledge — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:53:54 +0000

I think the asking questions point is one of the strongest in this article. A lot of times people are afraid to ask questions at the risk of seeming stupid, but you can’t really worry about that. Everybody starts somewhere, and the more information you can gather, the better off you’ll be at making the decision on whether it’s the right thing for you or not.

By: Gayle RN

Gayle RN — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:02:49 +0000

Andy, as an old lady I can tell you that very few decisions are final. From my point of view you still have lots of choices even after you make a tentative decision. Ask the PHD program for the year off. Next semester start the accounting classes. Arrange to work on something in archaeology (say like a dig) next. If you don’t like accounting ditch it after the term. You will in any case have some knowledge which can benefit you in any career ie budgeting skills. And you will KNOW if you like it or not. I know you have always been taught to finish what you start, but it isn’t really a law you know. Maybe you would enjoy working and making money as an accountant and having archaeology as an expensive avocation. Take your vacation time and work on digs or explore the world from that unique viewpoint. This may not be an either/or choice but a how can I do both choice.

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:56:47 +0000

I’ve taken provigil for ADHD and it had the opposite effect on me! I could have used it as a sleeping pill. In the paperwork they said it can be used to keep shift workers awake too. So Adrian makes a valid point.

I also wanted to say that it’s truly sad that we feel compelled to slap labels on people and categorize them. I think that people who follow their passions, like the bee keeper Trent speaks of.

By: Norman MIller

Norman MIller — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:45:54 +0000

Andy @ 1:07 pm March 18th, 2008

Do both!

Study Accounting History
http://acct.tamu.edu/giroux/history.html

By: sunshine

sunshine — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:15:38 +0000

To add to the provigil thing (and to keep it up), my gf uses it. She does not have narcolepsy; she has fibromyalgia. She has the opposite problem – she can’t sleep. So, she takes a GHB-type (yes, that’s GHB, the date-rape drug) of med to go to bed and provigil, if she needs, it to wake up. It’s very unfortunate that she’s in this cycle, but she feels better and is able to function. She has also tried Xenadrine or something like that with success and with her doctor’s approval.

@the Weakonomist – check out beginnertriathlete.com if you haven’t already. My login’s Yogus. Great community over there.

By: seasicksquid

seasicksquid — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:10:53 +0000

I went through this exact process, and it’s exactly how I discovered that my passion is sailing. Just remember to keep trying. If it’s what you want to do, and it gets tough, keep trying. If you’re having trouble breaking into a circle that makes it accessible, be persistent. I ran into a problem at the yacht club I first went to, where I wanted to learn to race. People there sucked! Until they realized I wasn’t going away and I had enough passion about sailing to move a boat in dead water. Eventually, I found the right group and I’m a sought-after crewmember, after a short time of sailing. Maybe someday I can find a job at a sailing school and teach others and continue my passion…

It’s all about passion.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:00:48 +0000

@Trent – Oh I see, now it’s my fault! [roll]

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:48:02 +0000

Thanks for the advice K.J.

I think you are right not to commit if I’m not sure. I am actually kind of excited about doing the accounting program (and I’m confident I could get through the five quarters of school without being miserable). But the main appeal of the accounting is that it will give me a skill (latin and ancient greek is not in high demand) and a good job, and from there it will hopefully open up opportunities (either from my skill set, or having the financial means to go back to school, start a business, etc) to find what it is that I really want to do.

I have been on a few digs, which were amazing. I really enjoy the field work. Unfortunately that is only for two months of the year.

I am definitely leaning towards the accounting because I really don’t know what I want, and the PhD would kind of lock me in to one career track. And I agree with K.J. that if I am not excited about starting it, finishing it will be incredibly difficult.

By: K.J.

K.J. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:49:04 +0000

Also @ Andy — your blog is gorgeous, and you’re clearly invested in food…(cough)

By: Marta

Marta — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:46:14 +0000

Sorry to jump back in again but I just found a PDF of the first chapter of “The Renaissance Soul” for those who want to take a sneak peek:

http://www.togetunstuck.com/pdfs/freerenaissance.pdf

By: K.J.

K.J. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:43:22 +0000

@Andy, my dear —

If you are not sure, do _not_ commit to either program. You are going crazy about it because neither option is a correct choice for you right now.

Please, please, please heed my advice. I’ve done hundreds of hours of outreach with fellow graduate students at my fancy schmancy university, so I know this topic inside and out.

The only thing that will get you through the _enormous_ sacrifices (personal time, earning potential while a student, crushing quantities of stress, horrible work-life balance) you will make as a graduate student in a Ph.D program is passion, at least at the outgo.

Regarding accounting: lots of people view their jobs as just jobs and have fascinating and deeply satisfying experiences in their personal, off-work hours. Maybe you are one of these people. But are you sure?

My humble but firm advice: obtain a job that pays well enough to start payment on whatever you need to pay, live inexpensively, and dig around inside yourself. And have (responsible) fun!

In that time period, you may well (re)discover a passion for either one of these subjects. You may concede that even though you aren’t passionate about it, accounting might be it. You may well discover industries or fields you’d never considered before that would be far better matches for you.

(I also like the idea of volunteering for a dig, or working for a historical society abroad, or leading group tours for your alumni association, or leading group tours for a tour/vacation agency of any sort, or doing something else that Is An Adventure.)

Don’t feel pressured into the either/or, though.

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:32:55 +0000

Marta,

That book sounds exactly like me. Thanks! I am going to try and find it at a library tomorrow.

By: plonkee

plonkee — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:22:38 +0000

@Andy:
If spent some of the year volunteering at an archaeological dig, I imagine that might enhance your desirability, rather than distract from it. And it would make a great vacation.

By: Marta

Marta — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:19:54 +0000

For those who might have trouble finding a passion – I highly suggest the book “The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One” by Margaret Lobenstine.

As an avid lifelong learner with a slight twinge of ADHD, this book really helped me learn how to make a map of my passions and how I can give adequate time to pursuing many paths, not just one. The book is concisely written and the practical activities help you feel motivated not defeated.